Fresh concerns over research conducted by University of New South Wales professor Levon Khachigian

Research overseen by an eminent scientist at the University of New South Wales is again under investigation following concerns about alleged research misconduct.

The latest allegations centre on a scientific paper into the genetics of heart disease co-authored by Professor Levon Khachigian.

A research team overseen by Professor Khachigian has received many grants from bodies such as the National Health and Medical Research Council, including an $8.3 million grant for 2014 looking at cardiovascular disease research.

The research in question was published in the journal PLOS One in July 2012.

It focused on how muscle cells change into plaque - a key cause of heart attacks.

A scientist complained to the university, saying he believed one of the images appeared to have been manipulated.

A letter sent to the university's vice chancellor of research says "in figure 5, one of the panels has been duplicated, rotated 180 degrees and then used to represent cells treated with a different compound."

"If anomalies are found, it will be necessary to (conduct interviews) individually to determine who was responsible and whether they were deliberate or accidental," it says.

The university has conducted an initial investigation and the ABC understands it believes there is a prima facie case of research misconduct.

It has moved to convene an external panel to investigate further, in line with its own guidelines.

The research was funded by grants from the National Heart Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council, and the Australian Research Council.

Professor Khachigian says 'simple formatting error' to blame

In an email received by the ABC dated October 18, Professor Khachigian says it was a "simple formatting error" that did not affect any of the paper's scientific conclusions.

"As soon as I became aware of the error, I arranged to have it corrected by the usual process of an erratum," he wrote.

"I contacted the journal before the University brought the matter to my attention.

"Genuine errors do not constitute research misconduct", he says.

Professor Khachigian has taken a leave of absence from his post at the university. The university declined to confirm when he would be returning.

Another investigation already underway into skin cancer drug research

As revealed by the ABC in August, research overseen by Professor Khachigian relating to the cancer compound DZ13 is already the subject of an investigation by the university.

Touted around the world as the next wonder-drug in the fight against skin cancer, human trials of DZ13 were suspended after concerns were raised about the science leading up to the trials.

Allegations of manipulated images in other scientific papers were raised by Professor David Vaux, from Melbourne's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and former university scientist Dr Ying Morgan.

Neither of them have been interviewed as part of the investigation, which is the third inquiry into the cancer research.

In a statement to the ABC, Professor Khachigian denied the research was flawed.

"The independent inquiry panel found no case of research misconduct nor any evidence of falsification, fabrication or misrepresentation of data," he said.

Calls for university to act to end uncertainty

Critics say the inquiry is taking too long, leading to a climate of uncertainty at the University of New South Wales.

Dr Sarah Gregson is an academic in the business faculty and a union representative.

"Nobody wants to see the university's reputation tarnished. But there is obviously a situation to be investigated and we need to see that happen, sooner rather than later," she says.

The university's acting vice chancellor, Professor Iain Martin, says the investigation is "a very significant process with considerable implications for both the institutions involved and our employees and other researchers".

"[It] will have a bearing not only on what they're doing now, but potentially on their future career," he said.

But his insistence that all steps are being taken to bring the matter to a swift conclusion has not placated everyone.

"The vice chancellor talks a lot about leadership and about integrity, I think he needs to show those things and show his leadership now. This is a serious question for the university and it doesn't like it is going to go away," Dr Gregson said.

University management says there are a range of measures that can be taken if any employee is found to have been involved in research misconduct.

"Our employment agreement allows us to consider a range of penalties from censure through to removal of responsibilities, demotion or ultimately termination," Professor Martin said.

University management says all scientists are treated equally when it comes to investigating allegations of research misconduct.

"I would categorically say that we in no way would protect the financial interests of the university at the expense of making the correct determination on a research misconduct inquiry," Professor Martin said.

The university was unable to say when the latest investigation would be finalised.